


A Celebration of Humanity

by Movie_Riggs



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 05:56:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14372361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Movie_Riggs/pseuds/Movie_Riggs
Summary: Anne has a discussion with Phillip about the treatment of the animals in the circus.*Very mild mention of animal abuse, really not that bad I promise. Also very brief, implied period-typical racism.





	A Celebration of Humanity

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I've been on a Greatest Showman high since the movie came out, but obviously the real circus wasn't all fun and games. Anybody ever watch Dumbo? Yeah, as a kid who really liked elephants, that movie scarred me to say the least. I thought I'd combine a little fluff with a topic that was actually important.
> 
> This isn't very dark or anything, don't be alarmed. The movie is so uplifting I think it'd be impossible for me to write a fic that does a complete 180* in tone. Of course I'm aware that the actual circus was not a great place to be, and P.T. Barnum wasn't even a nice guy in real life. But if all these years later, we can make a great movie that brings joy to audiences, we have at least changed the bad things the real Barnum may have done into something good.

"Who all had fun tonight? You? Thank you all so much for coming to the circus! New acts every night!"

Phillip Carlyle tipped his hat to the last beaming young child to exit the tent before heaving a sigh of relief. He loved running the show now that the circus' founder P.T. Barnum had opted to help manage the business from outside the spotlight in favor of spending time with his family, but some days were more exhausting than others. It was hard work coming up with new acts and constantly having to put on a bright face for the audience even if he was having one of those days. But what made it all tolerable was that Phillip never had to leave the spotlight to spend time with his family.

Of course, his mother and father had virtually disowned him by now. He still came by the house once in a while to check on how things were going, but he no longer felt welcomed. Not that it would have mattered. There was a difference between feeling unwelcome and feeling like one didn't belong at all, and Phillip felt both. As Phillip had once told his parents, if that high position on society meant attending meaningless parties to brag about his inheritance and drink till he passed out, not to mention the constant shunning of people he now realized were beautiful in their own right, then he wanted no part of it. His place was not with his parents or their high society. Not anymore. His place was right here; wearing the uniform of the ringmaster and proudly leading a cast of talented, unique people in a show that brought joy to all who watched. His place was with _her_.

Their relationship was anything but a secret these days (though Phillip had initially asked her if they might take their time in revealing it to the rest of the crew. Not because he feared their judgment, but only because he feared the wrath of her older brother). She had assured him, though, that he need not worry. Phillip and W.D. were friends and a mutual respect existed between them. 

Still, Phillip sometimes wished that they could have kept it a secret for just a little while, for one reason: it was an absolute thrill to steal away behind the emptied stands with Anne Wheeler.

He spotted her standing with her back to him and removing her pink wig, and after a quick glance to make sure the rest of the crew was backstage, he rushed to her as nimbly and quietly as possible. Despite the prowess he was so sure he had, she sensed him coming and turned just in time to catch him in an embrace. They kissed passionately for a moment, then simply stood with foreheads touching. Anne's eyes were closed, reveling in the moment, but Phillip could not bear to stop studying her lovely brown face for a second.

"You were amazing tonight," he whispered. 

Anne finally opened her eyes, which were laughing at him merrily. "You always say that."

"You're always amazing."

She scoffed good-naturedly. 

"I'm serious!" Phillip continued.

"Thank you," she eventually replied. "You're pretty amazing too, you know."

As she bent down to retrieve the wig she had dropped in her haste to caress his face, Phillip removed his jacket and hat and tucked them under his arm. "Let's go somewhere," he declared.

"Now?" Anne asked in surprise. 

Phillip nodded. "Right now."

"Where?"

"Anywhere you want."

Anne smiled. "Alright. Let me go change."

"Me too," Phillip agreed. "I'll meet you outside the tent."

After another warm kiss, they parted ways.

* * *

 

Once she was changed out of her trapeze outfit, Anne bid goodnight to Letty and the others (promising W.D. she would be home later) and waited outside the tent.

As she stood enjoying the warm summer night's air, she caught the faintest of curses followed by a distressed elephant trumpet coming from the animals' tent. Worried that the animals might be breaking loose, she jogged over to the tent and peered inside. Most of the animals were in their cages, but one particularly stubborn elephant was not budging from its place. The circus assistant, O'Malley, was trying desperately to herd the elephant to its pen.

"Come _on_ , you filthy beast!" he groaned in exasperation.

Anne was about to call out to him, asking if he needed help, when O'Malley raised his right arm and brought down a cruel black whip on the elephant's backside. Another loud trumpet. The whip cracked several more times before the elephant finally went where it was supposed to go. Anne covered her mouth with one hand, and hurried away from the tent.

Phillip was waiting for her when she returned. He smiled at her brightly. 

"Where would you like to go?"

Anne had no preference, and the couple ended up simply strolling along the docks, observing the moon over the water. 

"Maybe we should build a home here," Phillip wondered aloud. "After all, it's our land. Well, ours and P.T.'s. Half of the crew has started sleeping backstage anyway. What if we built a nice, great big house for everyone? That way they'd all have real beds to sleep on. And..."

_And you and I could have our own_ , is what he wanted to say. But Phillip doubted Anne was ready for that yet. He planned to marry her, of course, but there was no harm in taking their time. 

"Sounds nice, right?"

"Hm," Anne murmured, barely acknowledging though she had heard every word. 

Phillip looked at her curiously. "Everything okay?"

Anne nodded. "It's nothing."

"It can't be nothing," Phillip urged gently. "Tell me. What's going on?"

Anne sighed. "It's the animals."

Phillip frowned in confusion. " _Our_ animals? What's wrong with them?"

"Nothing--"

"You know, that elephant didn't mean to almost knock you off your rope the other day..."

"I know that," Anne assured him, her mouth curling upward at the memory. "I was just thinking...like what you said about the house. For all of us. That does sound nice. I'd love it if we could all be that comfortable. It just occurred to me that maybe the animals aren't comfortable either. Maybe we should find better accommodations for them."

Phillip considered the proposal for a moment. "Well, it makes sense," he agreed. "But our setup is practical. I mean, after all, we can't very well let the lions roam freely in a house designed for people. Perhaps a barn of some kind, though."

Anne nodded. Phillip kept his gaze on her, studying the way the starlight illuminated her hair in such a way that she appeared angelic. He impulsively took her hand and kissed her cheek. 

* * *

 

The next morning, Anne arrived at the main tent to practice before the evening's show, as she always did. Some might have argued that she spent too much time swinging about, reaching heights a less talented person would have had to climb the rafters to achieve. But trapeze was her passion, and it was one of the only things she could do to feel truly free after all this time.

Just as she was preparing to begin, a familiar cry came piercing through the walls of the tent. Anne stopped in her tracks, waiting to see if it would come again. It did. She turned and ran for the animals' tent. 

Once she arrived, Anne took a deep breath before entering, fearing what she would find. 

O'Malley was back with his whip in hand once more, tossing food carelessly to the animals and barking meaningless orders at them. When one of the elephants made a move that displeased him, he promptly began to raise his arm to strike.

"Stop!" Anne screamed before she realized what she was doing. 

O'Malley's blow fell short, and he turned in annoyance. "What?"

"Don't hurt them!" Anne begged. 

The heavyset man waved her off. "You do your job, girl, I'll do mine."

He was going to use the whip yet again, Anne could feel it. She screamed once more before he could, unable to help herself. Just then, Phillip came rushing in, looking for all the world like he was ready to die defending her. 

"Anne! What is it?!"

Anne pointed at O'Malley, helpless to hide the horror in her voice. "He's _beating_ them!"

Phillip cleared his throat and put a hand on Anne's shoulder to reassure her. "O'Malley!" he called. "Can I talk to you for a moment, please?"

O'Malley grouched, shuffling over. Phillip gestured at the whip in the former thief's hand. "I hardly think that is necessary, don't you?"

The caretaker furrowed his brow, staring at Phillip disapprovingly. "Just doing my job, Mr. Carlyle."

"I understand," Phillip countered. "But I would advise you to go about it differently. For the sake of everyone."

O'Malley huffed, then nodded, appearing to accept the order. "Very well, Mr. Carlyle." He started walking away, but at the last second, turned around and casually muttered, "Wouldn't think you'd let someone like _her_ make all your decisions for you."

Phillip whirled on O'Malley then, feeling Anne's shoulders tense under his hand. "What did you just say?!" Of course, Phillip knew exactly what had been implied. He was used to hearing it by now; he was able to recognize offhand remarks that a former version of himself would have easily ignored. No longer. Not when he had a responsibility to the woman he loved and the crew he employed. Out on the streets, he and Anne would take anyone's comments in stride, holding their heads up proudly and refusing to feel guilty. On the streets, people could get away with that sort of thing. But here, in the circus, where he was in charge? Phillip wouldn't have it. 

He glared icily at O'Malley, restraining himself only because Anne was by his side. His jaw and fists clenched, he stated firmly, "Get out."

* * *

 

The afternoon saw the circus light up with excitement when P.T. Barnum himself stopped by for his semi-weekly visit. The crew sat down in a circle backstage, laughing and chatting over lunch as Barnum let them know his family was doing well and Letty informed him of all the latest successful acts and the occasional hilarious mishap that had occurred since he last stopped by.

Phillip and Anne were in the middle of it all, of course, with arms wrapped around one another in a way that reminded Barnum of himself and his own wife when they were younger. 

Before he left, Barnum took Phillip to the side to go over a few trivial matters regarding the circus' advertising and the latest critic reviews in the paper (which were becoming humorously less negative by the day). Finally, Barnum brought up the subject Phillip knew he had come to discuss in the first place.

"Heard you fired O'Malley." 

Phillip nodded, confirming, "Yes, I did," and proceeded to recount the entire story.

Barnum sighed and gave a turn of his head. "Well...I wouldn't have thought of it, but perhaps Anne is right. We'll dip into our profits and build a barn. A large barn. And get a better caretaker, too."

"Agreed," Phillip said.

Barnum could not help but grin at his business partner. "You know, Phil, as much as I hate to say it, you might just be on your way to becoming a great ringmaster."

Phillip chuckled. "Well, P.T.," he replied easily. "As much as I hate to say it, I might just have learned from the best."

**Author's Note:**

> One day I will write a new fic that is in no way related to a character played by Zendaya.
> 
>  
> 
> ...You're right, I probably won't.


End file.
